


cold comfort

by bertee



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Hurt/Comfort, Hypothermia, Infidelity, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-05
Updated: 2014-01-05
Packaged: 2018-05-15 17:58:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5794258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bertee/pseuds/bertee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Professor Morgan has a hot TA and Jared has a crush.</p>
            </blockquote>





	cold comfort

Jared's back at school for less than a day before he hears about the hot TA.

That's pretty much the extent of the gossip, that the guy is a TA and he's stupidly hot, but that doesn't stop it from coming up at every available opportunity. Morgan's psych class becomes 'the one with the hot TA', Thursdays between 9 and noon become 'the hot TA's office hours' and the Whitfield wing becomes 'where the hot TA works'.

It's kind of frustrating at first -- Jared is decent-looking too, damn it, but he doesn't get buildings named after him -- but as soon as he walks into his first psych class of the semester, he struggles to maintain his animosity towards the TA.

The guy is really hot. He's tall and well-built, with big dark eyes and pouty lips that curve in a bright smile when he leans in to talk to Professor Morgan. His hair is short and tousled, his glasses look as though they've seen better days, and his sweatervest would be more at home on Jared's most crotchety uncle but none of that stops him from being possibly the most attractive man Jared has ever encountered. 

It is staggeringly unfair, which is exactly what he tells Misha over drinks after class.

"It's unfair," Jared says firmly. "Like, staggeringly unfair."

"Absolutely," Misha says, pouring some whiskey into his beer. Of the two of them, Misha is the only one old enough to drink legally but that doesn't mean he does so wisely. "Incredibly unfair." He takes a swig. "What are we talking about?"

"Morgan's new TA."

"Ah," Misha says sagely. "The hot one."

"How does everyone know this?" Jared mutters, grabbing a beer from the fridge. "Was there a mass broadcast or something?"

"Yes," Misha deadpans. "There is a PA system in place solely to report on the attractiveness of teaching assistants." He downs some more beer and whiskey. "It's obviously not because we're in an institution full of people with working eyes and overactive libidos."

"Good point well made," Jared relents. The eyes and libido combination is a compelling one. 

His beer sloshes over the rim of the bottle when he drops to a seat on Misha's beanbag chair (because as far as Misha is concerned, 1997 was an underrated year) and he licks it off his fingers as he complains, "It's still unfair."

Misha stretches out on their couch. "Why is it unfair?"

"Because he's supposed to be a douche," Jared says. "Guys like that are supposed to be dickish jocks. No-one is that good-looking and that nice."

"I am."

Jared snorts. "Dude, I love you but you're an asshole about ninety percent of the time."

Misha shrugs. "Fair comment."

"The hot TA is actually nice," Jared says with a sigh. "Plus he's obviously smart if he's TAing for Morgan, and he's funny and helpful and decent-"

"You're getting all this from one class?"

"I may have asked around," Jared admits. "No-one has anything bad to say about the hot TA. Even Morgan loves him. _Morgan_. He was smiling at him before class today."

Misha cocks his head like a suspicious dog. Jared absolutely doesn't compare him mentally to his grandmother's yorkie. "Bullshit."

"God's honest," Jared says. "Morgan was laughing and everything."

"Now you're just making shit up," Misha says. "I have it on excellent authority that Morgan doesn't smile at anything except his dogs and his kid."

"Well, I guess we can add the hot TA to that list," Jared says smugly, then frowns. "I should probably figure out what his name is."

"What, like a pet name from Morgan?" Misha wrinkles his nose. "That's never going to be information I need to know."

"Ew, no," Jared says, slapping him on the shoulder. "Thank you for putting that thought in my head. No, I mean his actual name. The one his parents gave him. I can't just call him 'the hot TA' forever."

He decides not to mention that his impending sexual fantasies are going to be a lot less satisfying if his imaginary partner only has an epithet for a name.

"Didn't he tell you his name in class?" Misha asks. "That seems like it would be a key piece of information."

"Maybe?" Jared rubs the back of his neck, embarrassed. "He was hot; I got distracted."

"A-ha," Misha says triumphantly. "Here we have the fatal flaw of being the hot TA. He may be hot and smart but he will be doomed to go through life having awkward conversations with people who don't remember his name."

"Really?"

"Many dubious nickname choices await him," Misha promises. "See? The universe isn't entirely unfair, after all."

Jared considers this and is surprised to find it relatively reassuring. "Huh."

"I am very soothing," Misha says, downing the last of his whiskey and beer. "You may thank me later." He frowns at his empty glass. "Or now." He snaps his fingers and waves his arm in the general direction of the fridge. "More beer, grateful lickspittle." 

 

****

+++

Much to Jared's relief, he manages to make it through most of the next week without thinking about the hot TA. 

He still makes occasional cameos in Jared's jerk-off fantasies but the rush of being back at school and catching up with his friends after a long summer away is enough to distract him for the most part. Classes are good, his part-time job at the campus coffee shop is pleasingly familiar, and his friends are as prone to ill-advised life choices as ever, and so Jared's life trundles along happily without the hot TA for a few more days.

Right up until he goes to hand over an Americano with whipped cream and comes face to face with the guy in question.

There's a name scrawled on the tab attached to the cup, which may or may not begin with J -- while Chad may claim to be functionally literate, Jared still has his doubts -- but Jared doesn't bother trying to pronounce it as he blurts out, "Hot TA."

The hot TA stares at him. He's equally attractive when not technically TAing, dressed in jeans and a soft grey sweater with a pink shirt collar poking out of the top, and Jared keeps hold of the coffee as he mentally berates himself for being dumb enough to call him that to his face.

"Most people tend to use my name," the hot TA says, calm despite the pink flush to his cheeks. "But thanks for the compliment, I guess?"

"Shit." Jared lets his forehead thunk against the coffee machine. It's not cold. "Man, I'm really sorry," he says, rubbing the mildly burned patch on his forehead. "I just- It's been a long day?"

"Don't worry about it," the hot TA says with a smile. "I've been called worse." His eyes -- green, up close -- drop to Jared's hand. "Can I get my coffee or…?"

"Yes." Jared thrusts it at him with a little too much enthusiasm. "Sorry, uh…"

"Jensen," the hot TA fills in. "Y'know, if you ever decide you wanna call me by my first name."

Jared peeks at the name on the coffee again, now that he knows what it's supposed to say, and decides that Chad's version of the alphabet is not everyone else's version of the alphabet. 

"I'm sorry," Jared says again. "But it's good to meet you, Jensen." He runs a hand through his hair. "I, uh, I don't know if this is just going to make it even more embarrassing but I'm actually in one of your classes. Professor Morgan, just before lunch on Wednesdays?"

Jensen smiles. "The TA thing did kind of clue me in," he says good-naturedly. "How're you liking it so far?"

"It's good," Jared says, wiping his hands on his apron. "I mean, it's been one week but that one week was good. People seem to really like you."

"I just help out," Jensen says with a little shrug. "Morgan's the one who does most of the work." He shifts his bag on his shoulder. "Have you had him before?"

"Last semester." He glances down the counter to make sure he's not ignoring any customers but the lunchtime rush has died down and Chad is once again locked in his eternal struggle with the toaster, leaving Jared free to talk. "He's good. Kind of intimidating at first but I like his classes." He gulps. "Please don't tell him I called him intimidating."

Jensen laughs. "My lips are sealed," he promises. "'Intimidating' is pretty mild though. The first time I was taught by him, I think my description of choice was 'scary as fuck'."

"Good to know," Jared says. "I'm guessing he gets nicer the more you get to know him?"

"Not really," Jensen says easily. "I think I just wore him down. But as long as you do decent work and put in a good amount of effort, you shouldn't have any problems with him."

"Also good to know."

"That's me," Jensen says, "full of useful facts." He shifts his coffee mug in his hands. "And on the subject of facts, I should probably go make a start on my reading. It was good to meet you…"

"Jared."

"Jared." Jensen smiles. "If you have any questions as the semester goes on, just let me know."

"Sure thing." Giving himself a mental pat on the back for having an entire conversation with the hot TA and only fucking up once, Jared slips a chocolate swizzle stick into the cream on his coffee. "On the house."

Jensen licks the cream off in a way that is undoubtedly entirely innocent but will also undoubtedly feature in at least six of Jared's sexual fantasies. "You know you can't bribe me into giving you good grades, right?"

"I know," Jared says. "But I can at least try to bribe you into coming back here to study? The Tuesday afternoon shift isn't exactly thrilling."

Jensen laughs, biting down on the stick. "I'll think about it." He smiles. "See you around, Jared."

 

****

+++

Much to Jared's delight, he does see him around. 

He isn't sure which coffee shop has been usurped as Jensen's go-to place for his Tuesday afternoon reading but he's glad for the coup all the same when Jensen starts showing up every week like clockwork. He makes conversation with Jared when he comes in, he orders the same drink each time -- Americano with whipped cream and a free chocolate swizzle stick -- and he sits at the same table in the corner for hours, working his way through book after book while Jared refreshes his coffee and generally admires from afar.

He picks up a little more information about him every week during the brief but enjoyable conversations that punctuate the afternoon. Jensen's from Texas, he's studying for his doctorate, he used to work in the school library, and he was mildly fixated on the Harry Potter books when he was in high school.

They cover all the usual bases, with one glaring omission, and it's only after Jensen's been coming for his Tuesday afternoon coffee for a few weeks that Jared gets up the courage to ask the question he's been wanting the answer to since he first saw him.

"So, are you single?"

Munching his way through his second chocolate stick of the day -- Jared is weak, okay -- Jensen shakes his head. His cheeks flush pink and Jared watches his fingers tap nervously against his book as he says, "I'm seeing someone."

"Color me shocked," Jared says with a grin, picking up some empty mugs from the next table. "You know you've just crushed the dreams of dozens of freshmen."

Jensen laughs, his fingers stilling against his book. "I don't know how I sleep at night."

"Unfortunately not with them," Jared teases. "I can hear the crying from here."

Jensen's blush deepens -- in all the weeks he's been coming there, he's always gotten flustered by compliments -- and Jared takes pity on him enough to change the subject. "So who's the lucky girl? Anyone I know?"

"No," Jensen says. "We met through friends. Been together nearly a year now." His smile is tight, as though anxious about something. "They're great. It's nice."

Jared doesn't miss the pronoun choice. 

"That's awesome," he says, wiping up some muffin crumbs and trying not to sound too excited about the possibility of Jensen being something other than totally straight. "Personally, I'm kind of between boyfriends right now. Apparently romantic stability and my sophomore year don't go together well."

Something flickers in Jensen's eyes at the mention of Jared's boyfriends (or lack thereof) and he relaxes a fraction when he says, "Hey, there's nothing wrong with a little instability. Keeps it interesting."

Jared raises an eyebrow. "Do I sense trouble in paradise? Is he boring you?" He grins. "You can tell me. I'm an excellent listener."

Jensen laughs. "No, he isn't boring me. Vice versa maybe." 

"You? Boring?" It's intended as a joke, possibly to be followed by a crack about Jensen's love of sweatervests, but it comes out surprisingly sincere. "You're great."

Jensen looks at him in surprise before settling for a nervous little "Thanks?" 

He looked down, fingers curled in the handle of his mug as he stammers, "He, uh- He works in the city. High-powered lawyer, high-profile cases." He shrugs, not meeting Jared's eyes. "I can see how a guy in grad school isn't that exciting in comparison."

Jared pauses, his hand on the opposite chair. As much as he wants to help, it feels kind of awkward to be giving Jensen relationship advice when he mostly just wants to be the one in a relationship with him.

"You're great," he says again, opting for honesty. "Seriously. You're funny and smart and if he's not into that, then that's his problem, not yours. You're not boring." He flashes him a grin. "You're definitely the highlight of my Tuesday afternoons."

Jensen's cheeks are pink when he looks up and says quietly, "Thanks, Jared."

If Jared were smooth, he thinks he may have snuck in a come-on there, a subtle hint that he's awesome and available if Jensen's boyfriend turns out to be a dud. 

Unfortunately, smoothness has never been one of his strengths and so he settles for scooping up another dirty mug and giving Jensen a friendly pat on the shoulder. 

He's utterly sincere when he says, "Anytime, man."

 

****

+++

Jensen doesn't show up the last Tuesday before Christmas break.

It's Jared's last shift before a glorious Christmas vacation filled with food and copious napping opportunities. However, as excited as he is to go home, he can't help the disappointment that creeps through him when the clock hits six thirty without any sign of Jensen. 

He texted him earlier, a quick joke saying _Please tell me you haven't sworn off coffee for Christmas_ , but as he locks up, he can't help but be concerned when his second text, asking simply _You okay?_ , also goes unanswered. Jensen's in town and at school still -- Jared's seen him in the library at night and knows he isn't flying back home until a couple of days before Christmas -- and so as he hurries to his car, he can't decide whether he's more unsettled or offended by Jensen's sudden radio silence.

The snow's coming down thick and fast outside. Jared's hair is damp with it from just the short walk from the store to his car and he shakes the stray flakes out of his bangs as he puts the key in the ignition and hopes for the best.

"C'mon," he whispers to his car, "I know it's cold but you can do it, baby."

He doesn't bother to contain his whoop of triumph when the car starts first time. The snow is slushy under her wheels and Jared cranks the heating as high as he's willing to risk it when he pulls out onto the street. (As much as he loves his car, asking it to stay warm and to continue to move forward is often a bridge too far.)

The snow only gets heavier as he drives back to his building and not for the first time, he regrets his decision to live off-campus this year. (He blames Misha and his unwillingness to accept a roommate who wasn't Jared.) His wipers are going full-tilt to push away the oncoming snow and as it sweeps past his car in thick white waves, Jared frowns when he sees someone walking alongside the side of the road.

Even from a distance, it's clear they're not wearing a jacket or anything beyond a sweater to protect against the snow and Jared slows his car to a roll as he pulls up beside them. 

If it's a murderous hitchhiker, he figures their hands will at least be too cold for efficient stabbing.

"Hey," Jared calls through the open window, "you okay-"

His car comes to an abrupt and squeaky halt when he sees the person's face.

"Jensen?!"

He stops the car, pulls the keys out of the ignition, and flings open the door before he can overthink it, and he runs out into the snow to where Jensen is standing at the side of the road.

He's a mess. Jared can't think of a kinder way to describe it as he takes in the pallor of Jensen's face and his soaked hair and clothes. His jeans and sweater are sodden with snow and water trickles down his face as he folds his shaking arms across his body to try to keep himself warm. 

"J-Jared?"

His eyes are red and swollen, despite the lack of color in the rest of his face, and Jared steps in close as he calls over the wind, "Christ, what the hell happened to you? What are you doing out here?"

Jensen's teeth are chattering too badly to speak and Jared tucks himself up in his jacket as he tugs his car door open. "Come on, get in. You need to get warmed up."

Jensen doesn't argue, just sinks into the heat of the backseat of Jared's car. Tossing his jacket in after him, Jared shivers at the sudden lash of cold wind against his neck and hurries back into the driver's seat before looking over at Jensen. 

"Put the coat on," he orders. "You need to get warm."

He slides the key back in the ignition, hoping to heat the car up, but curses under his breath when the engine only produces a grumpy rattle.

"Come on, baby," he pleads. "You were doing so well. Just get me home."

The rattle sounds more petulant the second time, as though the car is protesting the presence of an extra person, and when five more attempts fail, Jared slumps back in his seat. "Motherfucker!"

His kick to the footwell produces another displeased hiss from the car and Jared turns to look back at Jensen as he says, "So much for the knight in shining armor, huh?"

"P-phone?" Jensen says through blue lips. "You can call c-campus security."

"See," Jared says, a little embarrassed he didn't think of that himself, "this is why you're the TA and I'm a lowly sophomore. You got all the brains."

In the rearview mirror, he sees Jensen's weak smile as he dials the number for campus security. It's a short call -- evidently Jared isn't the only student whose car called it quits -- and when he turns back around to Jensen, he has good news. "They should be here in thirty minutes max, hopefully sooner. I don't think they can tow the car but they should at least be able to drive us home."

Jensen nods, huddled up as much as the car allows, and Jared winces when he sees just how blue his lips are. "Or to hospital," he amends. "Please don't catch pneumonia and die."

Jensen attempts another smile. "I'll t-try."

He looks pitiful, curled up in the backseat of Jared's car with just Jared's worn jacket for warmth, and Jared gathers his nerve before launching himself back out into the snow. 

The blanket in the trunk is covered in dog hair from when he helped take his neighbor's excitable German Shepherd to the vet but as he slides into the backseat next to Jensen, he figures it's better than nothing.

"Here," he says, feeling his own fingers shake as he holds out the blanket. "Get under this." He eyes Jensen's soaked jeans. "It might be better to take your wet clothes off if you want? I promise not to look."

Jensen nods, unbuttoning his jeans with clumsy fingers, and Jared settles the blanket over him before averting his gaze. He's been picturing getting Jensen naked for months now but this is definitely not the sultry, festive-themed striptease he'd been hoping for.

The slump of wet clothes is painfully loud in the silence of the car and Jared stares out at the snow as he asks, "So what were you doing out in that? Did your car break down too?"

"Not my car," Jensen says, with more bitterness than Jared ever remembers hearing from him before. "I- I went home early. That's why I didn't come for coffee -- I'd had a long morning and just wanted to go relax." He swallows hard before saying quietly, "Mark -- my boyfriend -- was there with one of his paralegals."

Jared cringes at the implication. "Oh, man," he murmurs. "I'm so sorry."

"He wasn't," Jensen says dryly. "He-" 

He stops himself. As much as Jared wants to push for information, he stays quiet as Jensen figures out how to continue. "We had a fight," he says eventually. "We broke it off and I left."

"Without a jacket?" Jared says. "Or a cellphone?"

"My battery died," Jensen admits. "It wasn't snowing when I left -- I figured I could make it back to campus before the storm." His voice is sheepish and ashamed. "I guess I miscalculated."

"Where were you gonna go?" Jared asks. When he glances back over his shoulder, Jensen is fully covered with the blanket and so he turns back around to sit next to him. "I thought you lived with your boyfriend?"

"I did," Jensen says. He looks small, tucked up under his blanket, and as color starts to come back into his cheeks, his eyes seem even redder. "But it's his apartment. I paid what I could but he works full-time and I'm still in school." He bites his lip, looking down at his lap. "Apparently he thought I was paying my share of the rent another way."

"Another-" Realization dawns and Jared cringes again. "Jesus. He sounds like an asshole."

"Can't argue with that," Jensen says, anger rolling just below the surface. "I'm sorry, Jared. None of this is your problem -- I'm your TA, I shouldn't be dumping this shit on you."

"Hey," Jared says sternly, "you can talk to me as much as you want. I mean, we're friends, right?"

Jensen looks up, apparently surprised by the declaration of friendship. However, before Jared can worry too much about being shot down, Jensen gives him a timid smile. "Yeah. We're friends."

"And friends help each other out when they're dating dickbags," Jared says. "Do you have somewhere to go?"

Jensen nods. "I can sleep on people's couches for a couple of days until Christmas vacation -- I think Jeff still owes me for getting him home in one piece after the staff party last summer. I'll find a place in the New Year."

Jared frowns. "Who's Jeff?"

"Morgan," Jensen says automatically. "Your professor."

Jared stares at him. "Morgan has a first name?" He puts a hand to his heart in feigned shock. "My mind is blown."

Jensen smiles, tucking himself up in the blanket as wind whistles in through the car's ill-fitted windows. He shivers and Jared moves in before he can stops himself, wrapping his arm around Jensen's shoulders. "You're shaking."

"I got caught in a snowstorm," Jensen says, leaning into Jared anyway. "It's kind of a natural consequence."

His hair is damp where it brushes Jared's cheek and Jared strokes his hand down his arm as he says softly, "It's gonna be okay, y'know."

He almost expects Jensen to make a joke, to brush it off somehow, but he has a good idea of just how shaken up he is when Jensen's only response is a mute nod. 

He's shivering still, his limbs cold beneath the blanket, and Jared wraps him in a tighter hug as protection against the wind when he says, "You're gonna be fine. You'll go back to the apartment to get your stuff -- I can come with if you want -- then you'll have a great Christmas and then you'll start the new year with a clean slate. You can pick your own place, your own decorations, your own food in the fridge, your own shows on TV, whatever you want. It'll be great."

"Guess it couldn't be any worse," Jensen says quietly. "God, I'm an idiot."

"You're not an idiot," Jared says firmly.

Jensen just laughs, hurt and bitter. "My own boyfriend treated me like a whore for a year," he says. "Does 'fucking moron' sound better than 'idiot'?"

"You're not a moron either," Jared says. "This isn't your fault. None of it is." He frowns as Jensen shivers against him. "Okay, maybe going out in a snowstorm without a coat is your fault but I think emotional distress is a solid defence for that one."

"Thank you for stopping," Jensen says, voice thick with exhaustion. "And for putting up with me like this." His eyes are huge and green against the pallor of his skin when he looks up at him. "You're a really good guy, Jared."

Jensen's eyes flicker to his lips for a long second before he meets his gaze again and starts to move in. However, despite the screaming insistence of the parts of his brain that have fantasized about Jensen for weeks, Jared finds himself shifting away before Jensen can initiate the kiss.

"Shit." Jensen runs a hand through his wet hair. "I'm sorry." He sounds wretched as he sits back, cheeks red in humiliation, and Jared fumbles for the right words when Jensen continues, "That was stupid, I'm really sorry. I shouldn't-"

"No," Jared says quickly. "No, you should. You really, really should, but just not now." 

Jensen frowns, understandably confused, and Jared takes a deep breath. 

"Look, I like you, Jensen," he says, heart hammering. "I've liked you for months, pretty much from the first day I saw you and definitely from the first time I talked to you. And I am one hundred percent on board with making out with you in the backseat of my shitty car but just not like this, okay?"

Jensen still looks lost as he shivers next to him and Jared reaches out to put a hand on his shoulder. "You're frozen half-to-death, you just found out your boyfriend is an asshole, and you look like you're about thirty seconds away from passing out from exhaustion. How about we put this on hold until tomorrow?"

Jensen stares at him, disbelieving but apparently happy with the proposal, and Jared grins when he finally answers, "Yeah." He clears his throat and gives Jared a tentative smile. "I'd like that."

"Aweso-"

There's a sharp knock on the window and Jared lets out a shriek of terror. "Holy mother of fu-"

He bites down on his tongue just in time as the face and uniform of a campus security officer comes into view. 

The snow is still coming down heavily and the officer calls over the wind, "You boys okay in there?"

"Cold," Jared calls back, "but okay! My car won't start."

"Well, that's a problem for the day shift guys," the officer says with a smile. "Come on out and I'll give you a ride back to somewhere with four walls and a roof."

Half-naked under the blanket, Jensen wraps it tighter around himself as the door opens and Jared asks quietly before they climb out, "You okay?"

He believes it when Jensen nods. "I will be."

**+++**

Just as the sultry, festive-themed striptease never materialized, getting Jensen into his bed also fails to live up to Jared's many and varied dreams. 

He appreciates that Jensen parachuting out of an airplane and through his skylight to land naked on his dick may have been a somewhat unrealistic fantasy but the reality of the situation, while less exciting, is somehow more soothing. 

The ride back with Officer Beaver is subdued but brief, and the situation only improves when Jared gets Jensen into his apartment, into a hot shower and then into some warm, dry clothes. Misha is out getting drunk with the particular group of his friends who seem to exclusively wear onesies and so there's no-one else to worry about when Jensen comes padding out of the bathroom in Jared's hoodie, sweats and thick Christmas socks. 

He mostly looks like an endearing zombie but scowls when Jared relays this one hundred percent accurate information.

"I do not look like a zombie," he mumbles, folding his arms across his chest. (Not unlike a grumpy zombie.)

"Just a little bit," Jared teases. "A cute zombie though. A zombie with good taste in socks."

Jensen wiggles his toes in the socks, making the penguin pattern waddle. "I'm hoping these were a gift from a relative."

"If by relative, you mean roommate, then yes," Jared says. "I'm just going to apologize now if he shows up in the morning, by the way. He's a good friend but a questionable human being."

"That's a ringing endorsement if I ever heard one," Jensen says, yawning. "Hey, I know this is lame but do you mind if I get some sleep? I don't want to fall asleep on your shoulder in the middle of a movie or something -- I think I've already embarrassed myself enough for one day."

"Sure," Jared says. "I, uh, I'd take the couch but Misha's probably going to try to sleep on it when he gets home, whether I'm there or not. You mind sharing the bed?"

Jensen shakes his head without hesitation, already half-asleep. "Bed is fine." He yawns, tugging the sleeves of the oversized hoodie over his hands for warmth. "I don't kick or snore or anything."

"I've been told I snuffle," Jared admits, showing him through to the bedroom. "I'm not exactly sure what that means but I'm hoping you'll find it charming and/or soothing."

Jensen makes a beeline for the bed, settling underneath the comforter with an exhausted groan. "I can live with snuffling."

Still not quite used to the fact that Jensen, the hot TA of legend, is in his bed (albeit for sleep rather than anything more salacious), Jared allows himself a second to process it before he hits the lights and climbs in beside him. It's a big bed, one of the perks of living so far off-campus, and there's a respectable distance between them as Jared makes himself comfortable. 

Light filters in through the curtains, reflecting off the thick layer of snow outside, and Jared sees the glint of Jensen's eyes in the darkness when he looks over at him with a sleepy smile.

"Thank you," Jensen whispers. "For all of this."

"My pleasure," Jared says quietly. He bites his lip, mustering up what courage he can as he says, "Listen, I know we said we'd wait until tomorrow-"

Across the bed, he feels Jensen tense up.

"I'm not trying to fuck you," he blurts out, wanting to get rid of that tension immediately. "No sex, no touching, nothing like that." Jensen frowns, confused, and Jared gets the rest of his sentence out in a rush, "Do you want to go out with me?"

Jensen blinks.

"Maybe on Friday before we both go home for Christmas?" Jared says hopefully. "Or Thursday. Or in the New Year. Whatever works."

"I like Friday," Jensen says, sleepy but smiling.

Jared can't hold back his grin. "Is that a yes?"

"Yes," Jensen says, reaching out to brush Jared's bangs out of his eyes. "I want to go out with you."

Jared beams. "Awesome."

In the gap between the curtains and the windowsill, he can see the snow falling, piling up higher and higher on the roof outside, and he reaches over to squeeze Jensen's hand. Jensen squeezes back, eyes slipping closed, and Jared watches the rise and fall of his chest as silence settles around them.

"Jared?"

Jensen's voice is rumbly and sleep-heavy, and Jared tries not to show how attractive he finds it when he replies, "Yeah?"

"Can our date not be at your coffee shop?"

Jared laughs as he burrows deeper into the comforter. "No coffee," he agrees. "Deal."

When it comes, Jensen's response can only be described as a sleepy snuffle and Jared grins as he closes his eyes to sleep. 

He's pleased by the confirmation that snuffling is both as charming and as soothing as he had hoped.


End file.
